Michelle Obama votes early by mail

First Lady Michelle Obama told campaign supporters in Ohio that she voted by absentee ballot on Monday, as early voting continues across the country.

Unsurprisingly, Mrs Obama said she voted for Mr Obama.

She also tweeted a picture of the ballot before mailing it to her home state of Illinois. It is part of a co-ordinated announcement by the Obama campaign to push early voting, which helped the president in 2008 in key election states.

Mr Obama plans to discuss early voting in Ohio and Iowa on Wednesday.

He is expected to cast his vote early on 25 October at a polling centre in Illinois, the first time a presidential nominee will not vote in person on election day.

Experts estimate that about one-third of all voters could cast their ballots before 6 November, the formal election day.